


words stings harder when your heart is tender

by Sorahana



Series: Even heroes needs saving once in a while [1]
Category: LazyTown
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sickfic, and vomiting, but near the end, robbie reluctantly plays caretaker, the lovable elf is sick, there are tears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-18
Updated: 2017-03-18
Packaged: 2018-10-07 02:36:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10350534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sorahana/pseuds/Sorahana
Summary: Okay. Maybe Robbie feels just the tiniest hint of guilt. It wasn't his fault that Sportanut could end up like this





	

**Author's Note:**

> My writing either becomes sickfic/hc or fluff. Who else could be the better victim than the slightly above average hero? 
> 
> Please give Sporty a hug and maybe one for Robbie once he learns better.
> 
> Once again, apologies for oocness or mistakes grammar wise. Hope you'll enjoy!

Robbie swore that he must have been a truly despicable villain in a past life to deserve this punishment.

Not the classy villainy he was doing now. It was probably the kind where he kicked puppies for fun and eat the hearts of playing children for lunch, rounding off with kittens for dinner. That was the only proportionate actions that could justify this… horrendous experience. 

A simple day of scheming ended up being a lot more trouble than its worth. Robbie had cooked up a deliciously evil plan that would finally get Sportanerd out of Lazy Town forever. Everything honestly went according plan, which felt a little unusual for him. Then he shoved the feeling aside and basked in the glory of his success. 

Robbie was prepared to send the hero packing but then he did the mistake of actually checking up on Sportakook. Seeing his condition, it really was no wonder than he fell for the trap so quickly. He had expected a bit more resistance from the blue elf but instead, he laid absolutely still, which should have been an indicator that something was wrong.

Sportaloon’s cheeks were flushed with sweat pouring down the side of his face. Small puffs of breath escaped his lips and his eyes were squeezed shut. He curled up slightly, as if he could shield himself from danger. All in all, it was quite a pathetic sight.

Robbie couldn’t understand the odd feeling that he got the longer he stared at his rival’s unconscious form. Even he couldn’t find it in him to be that evil. Just leaving Sportadork made something within him clench. It was probably just his… self preservation instincts kicking in at the thought of the brats finding him like this.  They will probably find a way to pin the blame to him and he would like to avoid a horde of angry midgets going after him.

So the next best option was to drag the stupid elf back to his lair. It was probably the most exhausted that Robbie had been in weeks after he managed to get Sportacus onto his bed. All the work he had to do, the energy he burnt, the… ugh, exercising he was getting.

It was disgusting and Robbie blamed Sportakook for this.

The elf had been mostly unconscious, saved for the occasional whimper and the constant tossing and turning. The sight most definitely did not make Robbie worry. He just wanted something to do other than watch Sportanut all day. 

it was a good thing he was unconscious. If Sportaloser knew that he was actually putting effort into doing something positive, he’d never leave down the ‘I knew you were good!’ speech from the health nut.

Sportacus only stirred awake after Robbie had fetched the necessary items needed to cool down a scorching fever. The elf groaned, shifting till he was on his back before he opened his eyes. The glassy look was a bit disconcerting, Robbie thought before he could stop himself.

Those eyes eventually fell upon him, where he tensed up without knowing why. Sportaloon stared at him for what seemed like hours before he spoke in a hoarse voice, “Robbie?”

“Yes Sportanut?” came the scathing reply. Robbie was totally not doing this to hide his concern or anything. “Finally decided to wake up, hmm?”

Sportacus made a confused face. The effect made something twinge within Robbie. With his flushed cheeks, disheveled hair and glassy eyes, it made for a truly pitiful sight.

“What happened?” Sportanerd asked softly, still looking mighty confused. Robbie was totally not worried. Totally.

“Well, someone decided to be a complete moron and go out, even when they should have stayed in bed,” Robbie replied with an upturn of his nose, arms crossed over his chest. “Really, what kind of idiotic move was that? You’d think that being a hero and all, you’d have a _smudge_ of common sense in that _empty_ brain of yours.”

Robbie found the words flowing out of his mouth the longer the odd feeling settled in his heart. With his head turned the other way, he completely missed the tears that started forming in those glassy blue eyes.

“Seriously, you lecture those brats to take care of themselves but you don’t practice what you preach,” Robbie scoffed, still completely oblivious to his surroundings. “Some role model you are. If they had seen you before I dragged your stupid butt to my lair, they’re see you as the Sportaloser that you really are. They’d be  _disappointed_  in you. What do–”

It was at that moment that his ears picked up a foreign noise. He paused in his (worry fueled) tirade, finally turning towards the source of his… concern. Robbie swore his jaw dropped completely to the floor, his eyes blown wide at the sight before him.

Sportaloser was… crying. Honest to god _crying_. His cheeks were even redder, either from the fever or from his attempt to keep his sobs semi quiet Robbie couldn’t tell. His eyes were squeezed shut, the tears slipping past them and trailing down his cheeks in fast rivulets. He was hunched forward with his head bowed and his fingers gripping the folds of the blanket. He would occasionally suck in a harsh breath through his clenched teeth, acting like he shouldn’t be doing that in the first place.

Robbie was utterly confused and just a little bit… scared for the elf. What? Sportanut should never look like that, he realized. So sad and vulnerable, it felt like he was intruding on a private scene, seeing something that should never be seen.

It was totally frustrating! Robbie had finally made the great hero cry, quite miserably even, but he couldn’t find it in him to gloat at his victory. He was standing atop the fallen hero and yet, there was no other feeling than an intense desire to… help.

(Argh! He must have been infected by whatever bug that Sportanerd had).

When Sportakook’s stifled sobs degenerated into a bad coughing fit that left his bending at the waist and his forehead touching the blanket, Robbie’s legs moved on his own. Again, seeing his rival in such a pitiful state, he should be celebrating, doing a jig of sorts. Instead, he kneeled next to Sportaloon and rubbed gentle circles on his back.

Once the fit had passed, the sick elf remained in his bent position. Robbie would have thought he’d passed out if it wasn’t for the sniffling.

“Come on Sportanut,” Robbie found himself gently coaxing. “Sit up right. That position isn’t good for you.”

(A villain telling someone that something wasn’t good for them. The world was _ending_ ).

It seemed like nothing was going to happen until Sportacus slowly pushed himself up. His head was still ducked but Robbie didn’t miss any of the glorious misery on his face. His eyes were red and puffy, tear tracks on his cheeks, nose an alarming shade of red. Liquid pooled on his upper lip and his mustache looked even more ridiculous.

All in all, a sight he should be laughing at. Should capture a picture so he would have blackmail material that he could lord over Sportakook with.

A lot of should haves but what he did instead was grabbing the rag, dip it into the water just a bit to get it damp before bringing it to the patient’s face.

Sportacus flinched at the touch and looked like he wanted to lean back but Robbie’s sharp command cowed him into obedience.

Robbie never imagined in his life that he’d be wiping off all the disgusting remnants of Sportanut’s crying session with such gentleness. One hand gently cupped his chin while the other made quick work on wiping his eyes, nose and cheeks.

The incessant sniffling was ruining his work so he grabbed the other rag and dropped it into the hero’s hand. “Blow your nose. All that sniffling is getting on my nerves.”

Robbie offered him a semblance of privacy by turning away to drop the soiled cloth into the trashcan. Oh well, it wasn’t the good kind anyway. No real loss there.

Once he was certain the loon was done, he turned back to him. Robbie felt a disturbing twinge in his heart at the sight. Sportakook looked like a kicked puppy. He swore that if he squinted his eyes and turned his head seventeen degrees to the left, he’d see a set of droopy ears on that mop of golden locks.

Ugh. Ughhhhh. Why was he even thinking about doing this? Why was he actually going to do this?

“So, what was that all about?” Robbie asked gruffly, lips set in a thin line. It was weird that Sportadumb’s body language screamed hesitance. When was the elf been anything other than complete confidence?

When there was silence, Robbie let out a loud sigh. “I don’t have all day you know!”

Another stretch of uncomfortable silence before a meek, “You h-hate me.”

Wait, what?

“Wait, what?” Robbie repeated aloud, confusion seeping into his expression. “What are you blabbering on about Sportanut?”

More maddening silence before a hitched breath. “Y-You said… t-those m-m-mean things… a-about m-me.”

Oh god, his eyes were tearing up again. Robbie felt like screaming. Why oh why must Sportaloser be super sensitive when he was sick? It wasn't like he got affected with his insults before. Usually he'd roll his eyes and smiled in that disgustingly patient way.

This time, he had said all of those things because he didn’t want him to know that Robbie actually felt… concern for his health.

Robbie’s mind involuntarily replayed the words over and over again. Hate was a strong word. Robbie hated a lot of things but alarmingly, Sportadork wasn’t in that list. Sure the elf was annoying and aggravating and he wanted to get rid of him but Robbie never truly _hated_ him.

God, what was wrong with him?

His fingers ran through his gelled hair a few times as the sniffles became louder. He was going to regret this. He was absolutely, positively, no doubt about it _going to regret this._

An aggravated sigh. “I don’t hate you, Sportaloser.”

There was a pause in the sniffling. Robbie looked up to find those criminally illegal eyes staring at him. He made for a most miserable sight that strangely made him want to wrap Sportanut in a blanket.

“You d-don’t?” Came the pitiful reply. God, even his voice made him feel like he just kicked another puppy. “R-Really?”

Robbie leveled him a withering look that would have been more effective if it wasn’t for his rapidly reddening cheeks.

“Really.”

Silence draped over them for what seemed like forever before Sportanut finally sported a small, wobbly smile.

“I-I’m glad. I r-really am.”

“Ugh, spare me the sentiments.” Robbie crossed his arms and turned the other way. “I only said that because you’d get sick if you keep cry—“

“U-Um R-Robbie?”

Called it a sixth sense but Robbie immediately grabbed the wastebasket. Turning around, he found Sportaloon sitting perfectly still, eyes wide with panic and both hands clasping his mouth. Thankfully, he made it in time before the elf could ruin his perfectly good bedsheets.

Seriously, once all of this is over, Sportakook was going to owe him big. Who else was going to clean up the mess in that basket?

Until then, Robbie simply sat by the bedside, one hand rubbing small circles on Sportacus’ back, the other gently swiping back the damp fringes from his eyes.

(Robbie desperately wished that Sportanut would be too out of it to realize that he was doing this. And for everything else that’ll happen in the next few days that it’ll take for him to get better).

**Author's Note:**

> spoiler alert: sporty doesn't remember everything but enough to know that Robbie is a soft boy and he doesn't let robbie live this down


End file.
